Tennis star admits to GLP-1 medication similar to Ozempic – but her husband is an investor

“For many women, particularly mothers, there has long been a sense that celebrities simply ‘bounce back’ after pregnancy, when in reality losing weight can be very difficult even with exercise and healthy eating. Williams’ honesty helps normalise these conversations and may reduce stigma,” she says.

Feminist media studies scholar at Adelaide University Dr Jessica Ford says it could also be perceived as Williams reclaiming control over the narrative surrounding her body, which was constantly scrutinised as an athlete, especially one that is black and female.

“Regimes of control are enacted on black bodies to say they should conform to white ideals of beauty,” Ford says. “So there’s a narrative here of her taking back some of that control and taking back that narrative because her body has always been a site for public conversation in really problematic ways.”

Selling thinness

There’s nothing inherently wrong with trying to reduce the “shame” associated with taking weight loss medications – something Williams said drove her decision to speak about it openly. But co-executive director of The Embrace Collective Dr Zali Yager says it becomes an issue when the focus is on marketing said drugs in ways that are not about health, but about selling thinness at all costs.

“This kind of messaging inadvertently tells most women that their perfectly healthy, ‘normal’ bodies are not OK, and it normalises medical interventions for appearance reasons, as opposed to medical necessity,” Yager says. “When people are made to feel shame about their bodies and their weight, this is linked to depression, eating disorders and a whole lot of negative physical and mental health outcomes.”

Loading

Williams has long been a symbol of strength and power, Yager says, even someone who pushes against conformist beauty ideals. However, this campaign suggests that even peak physical achievement isn’t enough – that even elite athletes “need to shrink their bodies to feel worthy or to be healthy”.

Dividing the haves from the have-nots

While many women, particularly postpartum mothers, could probably relate to Williams’ struggle with weight, it’s important to remember that Williams is not an “average person”. She’s a tennis legend with plenty of money and connections at her disposal.

Appearance ideals are increasingly about wealth, says clinical psychologist, eating disorder clinician and UTS lecturer Dr Amy Burton. Beauty ideals have long been unrealistic to everyday people who can’t afford personal stylists and trainers, but now we’re entering an era in which modern medicine is also being used to augment our bodies and faces.

Loading

“Influencers and celebrity endorsements such as this normalise the use of weight loss treatments and cosmetic procedures, marketing them to the everyday person who then ends up spending a high proportion of their income on these – potentially dangerous – treatments to try to emulate the appearance of their idols,” Burton says.

Though prices are beginning to fall slightly, GLP-1s like Wegovy and Zepbound both usually sell for over US$1000 a month in the US, a price point that many people couldn’t regularly afford.

It’s also important to note that Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, is on the board of Ro, the telehealth service that created Williams’ GLP-1 treatment plan. By directly referencing the service in the media, Williams is supporting Ro and arguably contributing to the monetisation of weight loss.

“We need to reframe this not as ‘one woman’s decision to be open about the ways in which she’s choosing to use the medical options available to her’, but as the strategic rollout of a new weight loss pill that she’s the spokesperson for,” Ford says.

Simply being open about using a certain treatment isn’t enough, says director of education initiatives at the Butterfly Foundation Danni Rowlands.

Conversations around weight loss drugs seem to be aligning with those about cosmetic surgeries, in which many celebrities are applauded for being transparent regardless of the real cost and potential risk undergoing those procedures incurs.

“It’s placing even more pressure on women because it’s telling you that this is an option, so why wouldn’t you do it? There’s shame if you don’t engage in these things,” Rowlands says.

Beware of the celebrity endorsement

Now more than ever, Rowlands says it’s vital to look at any celebrity endorsement through a critical lens. This includes seeking any vested interests (such as Williams’ husband sitting on Ro’s board), as well as any glaring omissions (such as possible side effects of the drugs being promoted).

“We’re not hearing that people will need to stay on these medications for their life, otherwise their body will be compromised … There are some really significant medical implications coming off it,” she says.

Other celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and Kelly Clarkson have also spruiked weight loss drugs, but Williams is one of the first athletes to do so. Services like Ro could arguably benefit from the legitimacy this brings to their product – if the medication is not only good enough, but necessary, for someone as fit and healthy as Williams, surely it’s essential for everyone, right?

For support with eating disorders and body dissatisfaction call the Butterfly National Helpline on 1800 ED HOPE (1800 33 4673) or visit www.butterfly.org.au to chat online or email, 7 days a week, 8am-midnight (AEDT).

Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. Get it in your inbox every Monday.